HM Dragon & Fenghuang Ref. 1LCAP.M08A.C110A

The latest limited edition from Arnold & Son combines
inspiration from traditional Chinese paper cutting with traditional
Haute Horlogerie. This special tribute to the dragon and fenghuang
is limited to just five timepieces.

In Chinese mythology the dragon is a divine creature signifying
power and good fortune, and is the free spirit of the zodiac. In
ancient and modern Chinese culture, the dragon is often depicted
along with the fenghuang.

The dragon and fenghuang are indeed
considered symbolic of blissful relations between husband and wife,
a common yin and yang metaphor. A symbol of high
virtue and grace, the fenghuang has multiple positive
connotations.

This limited edition was created to celebrate these divine
creatures. The dragon and fenghuang are depicted with a technique
reinterpreting the principles of the ancestral art of Chinese paper
cutting, also named Jianzhi. Instead of paper the motive is created
on mother-of-pearl by applying successive layers of lacquer with a
miniature pad, executed with exquisite delicacy of touch and
featuring fine details that evoke the depth and texture of the
dragon and the fenghuang.

Arnold & Son is proud of this singular timepiece, as Fabien
Dutriaux explains: "The light reflected from the depths of the
white mother-of-pearl dial illuminates the richness of detail in
the exquisite motive and eloquently expresses our mastery of the
decorative arts." It is no small tribute to the craftsman who
created it to say that the image on the dial captures all the
finesse in the ancestral Chinese art of paper cutting.

The watch is powered by the A&S1001 movement, which is just
2.70 mm thick and manufactured entirely in-house. Housed in a 40 mm
18-karat rose gold case, it has twin barrels that generate a
90-hour power reserve, guarantee a more constant force and in turn
a more constant rate and greater accuracy. All the plates and
bridges in the movement are hand-chamfered and decorated - a
further indication of the traditional craftsmanship upheld by
Arnold & Son.